Rich and Creamy Chocolate Pudding

Rich and Creamy Chocolate Pudding with Fresh Whipped Cream and Raspberries

Here is another dessert to add to the collection of healthy desserts with more to come in the future. I got this recipe from the Fred Meyer booklet that comes out monthly and is found in the health food department (FM got the recipe from the Taste for Life test kitchen). I only made some minor adjustments to the recipe.

This pudding is made from scratch rather than a box and has no artificial sweeteners. There is no gluten, refined sugars or preservatives. I recently had a friend and her husband stay with us for a few days, I mentioned making some homemade chocolate pudding with no refined sugars, her husband asked me how can you make pudding without refined sugars? My friend answers him by saying this... you just go to the store and you buy the sugar free stuff in the box. My friend is about 20 years younger than me and was raised by her dad, so needless to say EVERYTHING food wise has come out of a box, can or package (mostly some sort of fast food) her whole entire life (this seems kind of sad to me).

I took the time to explain to them that I do not eat the ingredients, especially the artificial sweeteners (most artificial sweeteners are found to cause cancer in lab rats) that are found in the instant puddings that you buy at the store in a box and that I make everything from scratch. Boy they got an education in food and cooking during their stay, that is for sure!

25 minute prep time
serves 6

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk for the pudding
1 cup chopped dark unsweetened chocolate (I used Hershey's)
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup honey (I use raw local honey)
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp of raspberry extract or 1 tsp of vanilla extract
whole raspberries for a garnish
whipped cream for a garnish or for a totally dairy free garnish use coconut milk (take the cream off the top of the can and whip it till it is smooth and creamy)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Arrange 6 small ceramic or oven-proof ramekins (I don't have ramekins so I use an 8 inch ceramic souffle dish) place the ramekins or the souffle dish in a baking dish or pan with sides at least 2 inches high.

3. Whisk coconut milk until smooth over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly. until mixture is smooth and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a large glass bowl, whisk together egg yolks, honey and maple syrup until smooth. Pour milk mixture into egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly to combine the two. Add raspberry or vanilla extract and stir to combine. Pour into souffle dish or evenly divide mixture into the ramekins.

5. Place baking dish on middle rack in oven. Pour enough water in baking dish so it comes about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the outside of the ramekins. Bake custards approximately 40 to 45 minutes, until tops are set. (The inside will become more firm once chilled).

6. Remove ramekins from oven. Set aside to cool. When cool, place ramekins in fridge and chill for four hours or overnight. Garnish with raspberries and whipped cream.